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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29635989">your protector</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuubism/pseuds/cuubism'>cuubism</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Swap, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode: s02e12 You Are Not Your Own, Except it doesn't happen, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Alec Lightwood, Sappy, Trauma, mild body horror</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:41:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29635989</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuubism/pseuds/cuubism</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Azazel's body-swap spell doesn't take, he comes after Magnus to try again. Fortunately, Magnus has a certain Shadowhunter boyfriend who likes to protect him in the most dramatic way possible. </p><p>aka, Magnus gets to witness Alec taking out Azazel to protect him and has some feelings about it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>299</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is literally just an excuse to write Magnus being all in awe over Alec protecting him lmao</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Magnus left the Institute feeling strange.</p><p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>He stumbled a bit as he walked home, feeling too unsteady to make a portal, his magic running nervously under his skin like it was trying to seek out a leak somewhere. Magnus had told Alec to stay behind because he wanted to evaluate himself first before worrying his boyfriend, but now he was almost wishing he’d asked him to come along.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>But no. Alec had tons of work to do processing Valentine’s arrest. He didn’t need to be indulging Magnus’s paranoia.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Magnus could still feel the ricochet of Azazel’s power into his body as he’d broken the pentagram.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He managed to make it home without walking into a wall and went immediately to his apothecary, pulling the jar of gold dust down from its shelf. It was expensive stuff, not to be wasted, but great for enhancing magical scanning, and Magnus needed all the help he could get.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He undid the top few buttons of his shirt to bare his throat, then dipped his fingers in the dust, smearing it over his forehead, lips, neck, sternum in loose, approximate sigils. Then he was pressing his golden fingertips to his temples and <em>pushing </em>his own magic back into his body.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>It felt… <em>unsettled</em>. Shaken from its frame. Magnus poured more magic in, razing himself from the inside out, purging his system of any possible corrosive influence.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He found nothing. He was clean. Frustrated and relieved, he slumped into his apothecary chair, realizing belatedly that he’d just used up a <em>significant</em> portion of what power he’d had remaining after the summoning. Not the best decision considering they’d just released a Greater Demon into the city.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Still, he summoned himself a drink so he wouldn’t have to get up.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Magnus sat there, nursing his drink, twining magic around his fingers as if that alone could get it to behave normally again. Time seemed to pass slowly. Still, when he looked up, it was already light outside, the sun starting to rise over the horizon.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>And his front door was clicking open.</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus stood, making his way towards the foyer. That must be Alec, finally released from the mess at the Institute. Hopefully, his presence would help banish the discomfort running under Magnus’s skin.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>“You,” </em>said a voice that was <em>not </em>Alec’s, “are far too difficult, Bane.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus had thrown up a shield and was halfway across the room before Azazel had even stepped from the foyer to the living room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Just couldn’t stay away, hmm?” he couldn’t help but taunt, but it sounded weak even to his own ears.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The demon stepped closer, slick and still in his movements, eyes flickering to black. “What did you do to my spell?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Somehow, Magnus felt like he should know what Azazel was talking about. Somehow, he felt it was related to how he still wanted to tear off his own skin. “Oh, you know. Foiled it. I do like to do that.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Azazel snarled. “You have no idea what I’m talking about. Typical.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus made his way along the wall towards the door, the demon following him at a distance. “Well, if you’re looking for an apology, I’m afraid—”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s no matter,” Azazel interrupted, pushing up his sleeves, power circling his wrists, “late is better than never.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Normally, Magnus <em>might </em>have stood a chance in a fight with him, but Christ, he was almost out of <em>magic</em>—</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Behind him, the door swung open again. “Hey, Magnus, I hope it’s not too early, I just wanted to—”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>No, </em>no<em>, this couldn’t be happening. </em>Magnus wanted to turn around, wanted to shout at Alec to <em>get out, run</em>, but he didn’t want to draw Azazel’s attention to him—</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>—and before he could decide what to do, Alec was upon him. “Magnus, are you—”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus didn’t catch the exact moment Alec spotted Azazel. All he knew was he was suddenly being shoved violently to the side and landing heavily on his hands and knees, the breath knocked out of him. He sat up, magic at his fingertips—but it was too late.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Or maybe <em>unnecessary </em>was the better word.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec summoned his bow, nocked an arrow, drew, and fired faster than Magnus could blink. Azazel threw a wall of magic at him, flung him off his feet, but it was no use. Alec’s aim was true, as it always was.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus was so stunned afterwards that he could only sit and stare at where Azazel had been, couldn’t even bring himself to crawl down the hall to where Alec had been thrown to check if he was okay. He just— he couldn’t seem to move at all.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Magnus?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec found him first, skidding to his knees by Magnus’s side. Magnus noted gratefully that he seemed uninjured.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Magnus? Are you okay?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec’s hand was on his jaw now. Magnus met his gaze.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You—” he swallowed— “You banished him.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I— yeah—”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You <em>pushed me </em>out of the way.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec just kept holding his gaze. He seemed concerned. “Yeah? I didn’t want him to hurt you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You didn’t want him to—” Magnus shook his head, disbelieving. “And what about <em>you</em>, darling?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What about me?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was very earnest about it, and it made Magnus’s heart hurt in several different ways at once. He sighed. “Nothing, my dear. You’re perfect. I’m just rather stunned by you, is all.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec wrapped his arms around him, and Magnus tucked his face into his shoulder, realizing belatedly that he was smearing gold dust all over his shirt.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Apologies for the gold.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah, I was gonna say. You look pretty sparkly, what’s up with that?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Magnus huffed out a laugh. “It’s a magical enhancement. Helps with spell tracking.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Spell tracking…” Alec mused. Then he was pushing Magnus away from him and holding him at arms’ length, looking him over. “Wait, did Azazel do something to you?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Clever boyfriend</em>. “Tried to. But I’ve already examined my magic. There’s no demonic influence, I assure you.” Well. Other than that which was always a part of him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re okay?” Alec asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m okay,” Magnus confirmed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec surged forward to kiss him with a strength that nearly knocked Magnus over. Magnus kissed him back with what strength he could muster in his still-shaking frame.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When Alec pulled away, his lips were tinged with gold dust. Magnus reached out to rub at them absently, and Alec ran a hand up and down the back of Magnus’s neck, holding him close.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What was he trying to do?” he asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He tried to cast some kind of spell on me at the summoning,” Magnus explained. “I— my magic must have repelled it automatically. So he came to remedy that.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Alec’s expression tightened. “What kind of spell?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m not sure.” Magnus let his magic weave around his fingers again, examining it. It felt a little more settled with Azazel off this plane, with Alec’s arms around him, but that unease was still there, that disconcerting sense of <em>almost</em>. “But I <em>will</em> find out.”</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>title from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvrkKnZji8&amp;ab_channel=FleetFoxes-Topic">Your Protector by Fleet Foxes</a></p><p>second chapter that's all fluff?? maybe. maybe so.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alec stayed the rest of the day, and Magnus was glad for it. There was no more danger, no imminent risk of Azazel returning to their plane, but he felt better having Alec there anyway.</p>
<p>When it had long since gotten dark, Alec came to find him in the apothecary, where Magnus was staring at his hands, thinking about what he had discovered. The truth of Azazel’s plan for him.</p>
<p>“Hey, Magnus.” Rather than leaning in the doorway, as he might have not long ago, Alec came right over to him, knelt by his side. Placed a hand on his thigh. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Magnus looked over to him and found a furrow of concern between Alec’s brows. Maybe, he thought, it was less that Alec’s behavior had changed, and more that Magnus was behaving concerningly. Going distant.</p>
<p>“What did you ask?” he finally managed to say.</p>
<p>The line in Alec’s forehead deepened. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Magnus looked back at his hands. They were shaking. “Fine.”</p>
<p>“Do you want to go to bed?”</p>
<p>Magnus wasn’t sure he <em>could </em>go to bed, but it was either that or continue sitting here, staring at his hands. He nodded.</p>
<p>When he didn’t move to get up, Alec shifted, trying to catch his gaze. “Magnus.”</p>
<p>“I’m alright,” Magnus said.</p>
<p>Alec’s gaze was pained. Magnus tried not to see it. After a long moment, Alec sighed, apparently giving up, stood up and tugged Magnus to his feet. He wrapped an arm around him and bundled him in the direction of the bedroom. Magnus leaned into him.</p>
<p>“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Magnus didn’t think before lying down fully clothed, didn’t even realize he had done something strange until he looked up to find Alec staring at him, that pained line back in his expression.</p>
<p>“You want some pajamas or something?” Alec asked faintly.</p>
<p>Magnus looked down at himself, frowning. “Ah. Of course. Let me just—” he went to snap himself into more comfortable clothes, but Alec took his hand before he could.</p>
<p>“Don’t. I’ll just— just give me a second.”</p>
<p>He disappeared to the other side of the room, and Magnus pushed himself back upright on shaky arms, started slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Soon Alec returned with pajamas for both of them, sat down on the edge of the bed beside Magnus.</p>
<p>Magnus managed to get his shirt off and accepted the t-shirt Alec offered him, pulling it over his head.</p>
<p>“Magnus…” Alec started, twisting the fabric of his own pajama shirt in his hands instead of putting it on, “are you <em>sure </em>he didn’t hurt you?”</p>
<p>Magnus reached down to tug off his socks instead of looking at Alec. “He didn’t. He was going to. But he didn’t.”</p>
<p>“What was he going to do?”</p>
<p>Instead of answering, Magnus took the shirt from Alec’s hands, busied himself with smoothing the wrinkles from it. He tugged at the hem of the one Alec was still wearing, the one that he’d banished Azazel in, and Alec took the hint and pulled it over his head, dropping it to the floor.</p>
<p>“Are you sure he didn’t hurt <em>you?</em>” Magnus finally asked.</p>
<p>Alec frowned. “What, you mean when he—”</p>
<p>“—when he threw you across the room, yes.”</p>
<p>“Nah, come on, Magnus, I’m tougher than that. I’ve had way worse.”</p>
<p>This was not as reassuring as he probably meant it to be, but instead of saying so Magnus handed him his now slightly less wrinkled t-shirt and watched him put it on.</p>
<p>“I know you’re trying to distract me,” Alec said, pushing a pair of sweatpants into Magnus’s hands. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing to talk about.” Magnus unbuttoned his pants and peeled them off, throwing them away somewhere. He wasn’t normally one to treat his clothes so callously, but he was finding it hard to care right about now. “Nothing <em>happened</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, okay.”</p>
<p>Magnus pulled his sweatpants on roughly, watching as Alec did the same, albeit with somewhat less aggression in his movements. Magnus held Alec’s gaze as he snapped his fingers to summon his makeup wipes, pulling one out and scrubbing at his eyes.</p>
<p>Alec sighed at the use of magic. “I could have gotten that for you.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need you to.” But goddammit, his magic <em>still </em>felt unsettled, even with only that small use. He shook out his hands, letting the magic swirl more freely around him, and rubbed at his eye makeup again. Magically applied makeup was always <em>so </em>difficult to get off the mundane way.</p>
<p>“Magnus.”</p>
<p>Magnus scrubbed harder at his skin. Why could he not get it <em>off? </em></p>
<p>“Magnus!”</p>
<p>Magnus startled as Alec touched his wrist, just a light touch, just to still his hand, but still enough to send a jolt through him. He realized his magic was buzzing all over his skin now, hovering as a sort of shield, and his hand was trembling.</p>
<p>Alec took the makeup wipes from him. “I think you’ve got all of it.”</p>
<p>So then why was his <em>skin </em>still <em>itching?</em></p>
<p>“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Alec asked.</p>
<p>Magnus sagged into the mattress, twisting his hands in his lap. “What’s there to talk about, Alexander?” Other than that he wanted to rip his own skin off. Other than that he was suddenly really glad they had set sides of the bed because it meant Alec would be between him and the door.</p>
<p>For a moment Alec just looked at him, sad and contemplative. Magnus didn’t like seeing his lips set in a frown like that, didn’t like that he’d made it happen. But he didn’t have long to contemplate it before Alec’s hands were sliding up his arms and pulling him closer.</p>
<p>“Come here.”</p>
<p>God, he sounded so <em>sad</em>. Magnus pressed his face into Alec’s neck, throat growing tight at the grief in Alec’s voice. He hated that he’d put that sound there, he hated—</p>
<p>“Hey, <em>hey</em>. It’s okay.” Alec’s arms tightened around him. “It’s okay, Magnus.”</p>
<p>Magnus sniffled, willing himself not to let the tears fall, even though he could already feel them pressing against his eyes. He would have to find a way to put what Azazel had tried to do out of his mind if he wanted to stay sane. He felt shivery just thinking about it, never mind if the demon had actually <em>succeeded.</em></p>
<p>To that end, he forced himself to stop sniffling, turned his head far enough away from Alec’s skin that he could speak and said, “You know, darling, I have to say, watching you take down Azazel really did something for me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah?” Alec didn’t move away to speak to him. He cradled the back of Magnus’s head. He seemed to be deliberating whether to push or give Magnus the out, and apparently chose the latter as when he next spoke, his voice was lighter. “What kind of something?”</p>
<p>Magnus tried to spin together a clever innuendo, but his heart wasn’t really in it. “It was very sexy.”</p>
<p>Alec hummed. “Well, you know you can come watch me train whenever you want. If, you know. You’re looking for some company.”</p>
<p>Oh, he was really too clever. Magnus didn’t know how he’d thought he could pull a single thing over on Alec.</p>
<p>“The apartment does get a bit drafty during the day,” he said. “Perhaps I’ll come and tempt you away from your work.”</p>
<p>“I’d like that.”</p>
<p>“And surely your office deserves to be <em>christened</em>.”</p>
<p><em>“Magnus,” </em>Alec chastised, but there was a genuine laugh in his voice now. “I think you need to get some sleep before you can do something like that.”</p>
<p>“Mmm, you’d be surprised. I’m not to be underestimated, Alexander.”</p>
<p>That got him a full laugh. “Don't I know it. But we’re not portalling to the Institute <em>right now </em>to have sex on my office couch.”</p>
<p>“Of course not. I was thinking the desk.”</p>
<p>Alec groaned and dragged him down until they were lying side by side on the bed, Magnus’s head resting on Alec’s shoulder. “Come on, you. You’re supposed to be resting. Put those thoughts away.”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid that would require you to leave, darling, and I would rather prefer that you didn’t.” Even if he did, it probably wouldn’t work. Magnus’s thoughts were occupied by Alec a good portion of the time regardless of whether he was there.</p>
<p>Alec softened, tugging at Magnus’s hair until Magnus got the hint and looked up at him. “Hey,” he said, “I love you.”</p>
<p>It still felt new to hear that. Magnus smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Alec’s lips. “And I you, my dear.”</p>
<p>It still felt a little strange, to be able to lay down his head and expect Alec to be there. Alec hadn’t asked before staying the night, and Magnus hadn’t wanted him to, and it might’ve merely been because he was too concerned to leave, but Magnus hoped that wasn’t all of it. He hoped Alec stayed because he knew he was wanted, and because he wanted to; hoped Alec <em>would </em>stay. For as long as possible.</p>
<p>It felt a little strange to have him there, but also good, safe, and Magnus pressed himself in closer to Alec, letting his magic buzz comfortingly around them. He snapped his fingers so the comforter appeared on top of them, and then again to turn out the lights, and Alec grumbled in disapproval, but didn’t try to stop him.</p>
<p>“Goodnight, Magnus,” he said instead, his voice incredibly soft. “Try and get some sleep.”</p>
<p>Magnus smiled against his chest. “Goodnight, darling.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i feel like i've written this exact scene at least 150 million gajillion times but by god i’ll write it again</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://cuubism.tumblr.com">tumblr</a> :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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